Life...... through the Spirit

GAL 2:20 NIV

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This extract is one of the most difficult aspects of our Christian experiences to explain. Thank God for the Holy Spirit who helps us walk and work in line with the will of God for our lives. The moment I truly give my life to Christ, one fundamental thing that occurs is that I have identified with Christ in his death. The reason why He died was because of my sins, and as I come to him for cleansing, what I have done is to walk in his steps- dying to sin so I could live to righteousness. If I have accepted Jesus, I'm saying that I appreciate his sacrifice and I want to live my life in appreciation of this free gift. Just as Christ had to die so I could live, so do I need to die to sin so I could live to righteousness.

It then means that If I'm really saved, there's no place for personal opinions, preferences and prejudices. My life is no longer my own to live as I choose, but as Christ chooses. I cannot determine the direction of my life by myself, because I willingly gave up that choice when I handed over the control to Christ. He doesn't take away the power of free will; what He wants is that I come to him willingly, surrendering my life to him and allowing him dictate the course, pursuits and priorities of my life. It is not a compulsion; it is an exercise of free will.

Salvation does not deny your personality; it enhances it. Christ does not seek to make your life dull; He wants you to enjoy true life. What we think is good for us may not be the best for us, and who is better qualified to determine the purpose, use and direction of a thing than the One who created it?

It is therefore important that we settle the issue of who's in charge of our lives today. What we have now are Christians with identity crisis: you never really know who's in charge of their lives. They say on thing, while their lives do the opposite; they struggle with the control, thinking that giving up total control will make them less human or dependent. Key lesson: until you lose yourself in God, you can never truly find your true self. Until God takes charge, you will continue to struggle with the natural man who hates submission. Until God takes dull control, your life may not fully comprehend its purpose.

Let Go and let God. He wants the best for you; afterall, He created you and kept you alive for a purpose. I must find out that purpose and pursue it with the help of the Holy Spirit. He alone can help me finish well. His time of favour is here.